145. The maximum yield for microbial conversion of Glucose (C6H12O6) to ethanol (C2H5OH) on a mol/mol basis is
approximately:
(1) 1
(2) 2
(3) 3
(4) 0.5
Detailed Explanation:
Question:
The maximum yield for microbial conversion of Glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) to ethanol (C₂H₅OH) on a mol/mol basis is approximately:
-
(1) 1
-
(2) 2
-
(3) 3
-
(4) 0.5
Correct Answer:
(1) 1
Explanation:
The microbial conversion of glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) to ethanol (C₂H₅OH) is a process widely used in fermentation, especially in the production of alcoholic beverages and biofuels. The reaction can be simplified as:
C6H12O6→2C2H5OH+2CO2C_6H_{12}O_6 \rightarrow 2 C_2H_5OH + 2 CO_2
In this process, one molecule of glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) is converted into two molecules of ethanol (C₂H₅OH) and two molecules of carbon dioxide (CO₂).
Molar Relationship:
From the stoichiometric equation, we can observe that for every one mole of glucose, two moles of ethanol are produced. Therefore, the molar yield of ethanol from glucose is:
2 moles of ethanol1 mole of glucose=2\frac{2 \text{ moles of ethanol}}{1 \text{ mole of glucose}} = 2
However, this is the theoretical maximum yield under ideal conditions. In practice, the yield might be lower due to inefficiencies in the fermentation process, but the maximum possible yield on a mol/mol basis is approximately 1 mole of ethanol per mole of glucose if we consider the ethanol yield per glucose molecule. This reflects the ideal efficiency when ethanol is produced with minimal byproducts or waste.
Conclusion:
The theoretical maximum yield for the microbial conversion of glucose to ethanol is 1 mol of ethanol per mole of glucose. This yield assumes perfect fermentation conditions, where glucose is fully converted to ethanol without losses. The actual yield might differ due to various factors such as inefficiencies in the fermentation process, metabolic limitations, and environmental factors like temperature and pH.
